Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver volleyball team (18-7, 15-2 RMAC) defeated Colorado Mesa (17-7, 11-5 RMAC) in four sets on Saturday, November 4.
 
A strong first game for the Roadrunners would se the tone for the match, with the Roadrunners leading the entire first game.
 
Senior Vasati Fiatoa (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza H.S.) got the set started for her team with the first kill of the match.  The Roadrunners led by as 12, taking the 25-13 win.  Junior Taylor Duryea (Logan, Utah/Sky View High School) led the first set of the match with five kills. The Roadrunners held the Mavericks to a negative 0.053 hitting percentage in the first game.
 
The second game was a great battle between the two sides. Colorado Mesa led for much of the set. Following a 13-13 score, the Mavs maintained a one to two-point lead over the MSU Denver. However, the Roadrunners put up a great fight.
 
The Roadrunners tied the second game up at 20, but the Mavs took a 22-20 lead to follow.  A crucial kill came from freshman Alexis Benda (Las Cruces, N.M./Orate H.S.) to give her team a 23-22 lead.  The Roadrunners were then able to finish the final two points and take the second game 25-22.
 
The third game proved to be much like the second, with both teams never holding more than a small lead until the Mavericks went on a 9-0 run to end the set and take the 25-17 win.
 
The third game was a back and forth battle.  Fiatoa gave the Roadrunners a spark with a solid block to give the Roadrunners a 14-12 lead. The Roadrunners would go on to take a 17-14.
 
The Roadrunners took another three-point lead following when Benda had another critical block for her team giving MSU Denver a 21-18 lead, forcing a Maverick timeout.
 
Following the timeout, Colorado Mesa score the next two points to bring the score back within one point at 21-20.
 
A huge rally win from the Mavs would bring them back within one point of the Roadrunners at 23-22, but following a Roadrunners timeout Benda had a huge kill to give her team match point.
 
The final point would come from another block from Benda taking the final set 25-23.
 
Sturges led the match with 15 kills and 15 digs.  Duryea had 14 kills for the Roadrunners.  Senior Jackie Lopez (Encino, Calif./Notre Dame H.S.) finished the night with 15 digs. Senior setter Alyssa Svalberg (Aurora, Colo./Grandview H.S.) ended the match with 40 assists.
 
The Roadrunners will take on the Mavericks in the final match of the regular season on Thursday, November 9 at 7 p.m. in Grand Junction.